Romania to close more than 30 border crossing points in January: what is the reason

As of January 1, 2025, Romania will close more than 30 checkpoints on its land border due to the country's full accession to the Schengen area. However, control at the closed checkpoints will be "selectively carried out".

This was reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country. As noted, the checkpoints will be closed, as joining the Schengen area abolishes control over the movement of people on the internal land borders between Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary, which are part of Schengen.

However, Romania will continue to control documents at these borders for six months after accession and then will introduce enhanced control along the border. The reason is the problems with illegal migration faced by the country.

The border police will also be able to conduct random checks both in the area of the old customs and in the green zones that delimit the territory of the state without customs posts.

"The abolition of control at the internal border implies the need to strengthen measures to ensure public order and security, given that Romania is currently facing a diverse range of illegal migration methods, given its geographical location," the media quoted the country's Interior Ministry as saying.

Moreover, since "border control can be temporarily restored in accordance with Schengen laws," all customs buildings and border facilities along all sections of the border will be put on hold.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on January 1, 2025, not only Romania but also Bulgaria will become full members of the Schengen area. Negotiations on this began in 2012, but the decision was approved by the EU recently. Austria, which until recently opposed it because of the high level of illegal migration in Bulgaria and Romania, has recently lifted its veto.

Currently, the Schengen area covers 29 states that joined the agreement signed in the Schengen village in Luxembourg in 1985. The Schengen zone has border controls only on the external border, without border controls on the internal borders of the states that are part of this zone.

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